Saudi Arabia’s defense faces threats due to escalating attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. In response, an initiative has been launched to hold an emergency meeting involving the army chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. This decision was reached during a high-level meeting of the three nations’ foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan convened for this joint meeting under the historic Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. The Saudi Gazette reported this development.
The meeting strongly condemned Houthi attacks on various civilian and economic installations in Saudi Arabia, including the holy city of Makkah. The leaders reaffirmed Riyadh’s right to take any necessary measures for self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Under the joint defense agreement, an attack on one member nation is considered an attack on all. Consequently, this emergency meeting of the three countries’ army chiefs is being convened to determine how to provide comprehensive military and strategic support to Saudi Arabia in the current situation.
During the meeting, the three foreign ministers reviewed institutional progress regarding the formation of the alliance’s permanent secretariat, various committees, and working groups. Reuters has confirmed that Turkey’s army chief, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, will visit Saudi Arabia. The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Friday that, during the visit, he would hold an emergency military meeting with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts. Meanwhile, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan called for solidarity with the joint forces deployed in border areas. He instructed the troops to perform their duties with patience and courage to firmly repel any aggression. Despite the intense conflict, these three allied nations reaffirmed their commitment to working together to restore long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.
